Welsh Club Championships.
Cardigan moved through to the third round of the Carruthers Welsh Club Championships after they overcame the odds to defeat Gilfach Bargoed on their own doorstep by fifteen shots.
The Cardi’s who were forced to travel with several key players missing had to dig very deeply into their second team’s reserves calling upon rookies Huw Evans and John O’ Shae along with veteran Kazi Lorenz but they still came up trumps following an outstanding team performance.
This win on the road has earned Paul Monders and his side another crack at Skewen a team the West Wales men lost out to by one shot in a dramatic match last season and with home advantage this time around the Cardigan club will be confident of progressing into unchartered territory and just one match away from the semi finals at Llandrindod Wells.
The Cardi’s got off to a flier with a foursome skipped by Welsh International Kevin James 12-0 up after five ends and Mike Newcombe and co ahead 8-2 before the hosts hit back but at the half way stage the visitors were still 15 shots ahead.
At the business end of the match the rink of Colin James, Mike Williams, Chris Rogers and Kevin James kept up the pressure on the opposition and after 21 ends they sealed a convincing 31-13 victory. Newcombe who led all through with his trio of Andre Bann,Huw Evans and number three Brian Williams faltered badly and lost the last five ends but they had enough shots in hand and came through to win by two shots.
Team captain Paul Monders whose rink was down for most of the game managed to hang on in there and ended up just two shots adrift whilst the four of Emyr Davies, Syd Freemantle, Brian Davies and Marc James were three shots down at the close.
The Cardi’s dropped 19 shots in the final few ends and this will be a major concern to skipper Monders as they can ill afford to do this against the likes of Skewen but they were fortunate that Kevin James and Co had enough of a platform to see out the game with shots to spare.
A second bite of the cherry for Cardigan when Skewen visit the Gwbert Road Club on Saturday July 22nd and a large crowd is expected for this showdown which could create history for the Ceredigion club as they have never reached the quarter final stage before.
Victory for Monders and co would reward his men with an away trip to the winners of the Aberdare Harlequins v Rhymney Gwent fixture, this will be a very tough assignment but another game the Cardi’s are capable of winning on the day.
